W is for Wedding

I love a wedding.

And it's not just because I'm one of the most hopelessly romantic/neurotic people ever and I like to dress up and dance.

No, no, no.

The real reason I love a wedding is because of the sheer level of food and booze it's acceptable to consume.

The wedding of Nick and Ria (aka Mr & Mrs Campbell) was so top notch there wasn't even a notch in sight.

Amazing location with a festival themed wedding at Cornish Tipi Holidays, we all stayed in super cute tipi's. I say super cute, ours had a massive rainbow painted on the side so I felt like one of the Gay Pride pack.

Now what with both Nick and Ria being Yanks, a few ghastly Americanisms were part and parcel.

In a good way of course - on the first night after the BBQ I was introduced to this revolutionary new snack which obviously I forgot to take a picture of. 

Melt a marshmallow, put said melted marshmallow on a digestive biscuit, put a couple of chunks of dairy milk on top, then top with another chocolate digestive. I do love a sandwich. 

We'd been provided with breakfast packs with sausages, eggs, bacon, beans etc, with more kitchen equipment than in my own kitchen at home.  So on the day of the wedding we woke up (mildly hungover) and lined our stomachs for a day of serious boozing. 

One of the most romantic days I have ever experienced, blubbed the whole way through. Told you I was neurotic.

Anyway enough of that - let's talk food.

We had a delightful shot of pea soup as our amuse bouche, followed by cured meats, olives, breads etc (Danielle "picky bits" Brown was in her element), roast lamb, salad and new potatoes for main and for pud we had the best brownies I've ever eaten in my entire life. And that's saying something. Loved how they were decorated with pretty flowers, too. Looked way better than the boring old fruit cake some weddings have. I ate my own portion and Danielle's and SCS had about six helpings. Potentially from our fellow table guests when they weren't looking #snoozeyoulose 

SCS also in his element with novelty new tankard. Those breasts move and everything! Ah, look as his face.

Now what with the fact wine was on tap and I got far too excited hanging out with my new BFF Freya (she's 10) an early bed time was inevitable. We'll say it was midnight but it could have been before. I missed a silent disco and everything. 

Best wedding evverrr, so glad we could be there. Am still feeling a bit wobbly with emotion. So happy for those two Yankee doodles. Big love xxx

Ascot with Phase Eight

I've long been a fan of going to the races.

My favourite year of which being the time I went to Aintree with Matalan and ended up lost and sobbing on the streets of Marylebone. SCS really enjoyed coming to rescue me and putting me to bed that night...

Well this time I upped my game and went to Royal Ascot with Phase Eight (amazing AW14 collection FYI - not just tapework dresses).

We were treated to a three course lunch in Ascot village, afternoon tea and more drinks than you could shake a stick at AND I even got to wear some of Phase Eights new season clobber. Lucky doesn't even come close!

Now as this was a few weeks ago (and the fact drinks were on tap) exactly what I ate remains a bit of a blur. A delicious blur at that.

I had an excellent day, saw some interesting outfits (Lucia Debieux of Marie Claire fame being one of them - that girl has no fashion sense). If her editor finds out she wore an old season H&M dress she'll get the sack. High street clothes bring those high fash girls out in a cold sweat - Jodie Nellist told me.

Anyway, thanks Phase Eight for a brilliant day, this lowly freelancer felt truly spoilt. I came back having won a tenner, seen the Queen and I made it home sober(ish) in one piece. Result! 

Happy birthday SCS

I'm clearly obsessed with fish cakes at the mo. I do it with food, eat something so much I get sick of it. I can barely look at those snack pots of king prawns and cocktail sauce from M&S I've eaten them so much.

The fish cake obsession originally began when I lived with Jessica De La Davis and we ate Sainbsurys fish cakes practically full time. Sainsburys fish cakes and gin, that is. I hadn't had the fish cakes since, but upon a visit to the Alice House in Queens Park I figured it was time for a revival.

It was SCS's birthday so we went for a spot of lunch. I opted for the fish cake (obviously - I've just been banging on about them for two paragraphs) which came with a delightfully creamy sauce, a bed of spinach and a poached egg.

I also had a Bloody Mary. Brilliant as they have a Bloody Mary LOYALTY CARD. Buy six and you get one free or some such. Pure genius - they're the only thing that get me over a hangover. Except cheese and complex carbohydrates of course.

SCS stayed true to form and had a burger and a pint. Sounds like something you get in wetherspoons but this is by far superior in quality and taste (and price). Dissappointing in some ways because yes I would like to double up for a £1.

(SCS - not impressed)

Recommended the fish cakes so much I took Sam's mum and auntie there for dinner two days later. They both had them but I had the fish and chips that day FYI. After the M&S prawn pot situ I have to be careful about overkill.

Sunday tea

Apols for the lack of posts of late, I've been away at Glasto and busy with work and Nellist is quite frankly slack at best. 

After a tough day of reporting on fashions front line at the Mailonline aka talking extensively about what the TOWIE cast are wearing (Missguided as per) I needed a drink. And some food.

First up a drink with SCS at a local pub called the Squirrel. The Sauvignon Blanc was so bad I sent it back. "We sell a lot of that" the bar manager said. "I don't know why, it's disgusting," I replied. Don't question me you scruffy lard arse.

So after that blip I thought I'd better stick to what I knew for tea. So I went to Sainers and got their famous Taste the Difference cheddar and leek fish cakes. Constantly on two packs for a fiver (you get two fish cakes in each pack) which makes it only £1.25 a meal. Absolute steal.

Inspired by my latest dine at The Alice House (blog post to follow) I had it with a poached egg on top, minus the sauce but with some greens instead. Body is a temple and all that. A temple full of wine. 

The High Life

So the little Rottweiler eichler has been snapping at my feet to post another blog. It's the German in her. 

What can I say I've been busy jetting the globe with work, Marrakech, NYC. It's been tough. So after an array on intercontinental meals, I was spoilt for choice with which beauty to post about. 

Was it to be the lamb and prune moroccon tagine... Vom, eaten next to Kate Hudson and her bf from that band ... dressed in a non discreet disguise of a turban. Racist.  Or the seabass with arugula on a bed of heritage tomatoes eaten in the 'impossible to get a booking' ABC canteen? 

Like I said I've been busy....

Got home jetlagged and needed grub- I went for the lesser known cashew nut, Palma ham and cherry tomato combo, with a side of full fat coke. 

'The classic' I think they call it....